Daily News Digest 11-02-2014 | RoadAndTrack

• A Challenger roaring at full throttle is better than coffee.
• The 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe is stunning, has new tricks
• First Drive: Bentley Continental GT V8 S
• Watch the spectacular conclusion of Bathurst 12 Hour

A Challenger roaring at full throttle is better than coffee. Posted: 11 Feb 2014 05:00 AM PST If the kids moved their ball game to the backyard, garbage came the day before, and no dogs were walked for a few days, piecing together those tight turns and cul-de-sacs within your neighborhood streets could actually work as a road course. Right? For many of us, this dream will remain tucked in the recesses of our minds never to come true, but as for the folks in Newfoundland, this is a fully legal, annual event. Essentially a roughly 43,000 square mile hunk of granite affectionately named "The Rock," the island of Newfoundland claims to hold "the first and only event of its kind in North America." Targa Newfoundland is a week-long road rally that utilizes three categories, all of which encourage a variety of vehicles—from V8 Miatas to Porsche 911s—to be driven as they were intended. The Dodge Challenger pictured in the video, has a full roll cage, a menacing exhaust, and a driver who clearly took full advantage of the caution-taped streets. For those who couldn't be there, luckily the internet, and your friends at Road & Track have you covered.

The 2015 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Coupe is stunning, has new tricks Posted: 11 Feb 2014 01:01 AM PST Last September, we got our first look at Mercedes-Benz's stunning S-Class Coupe Concept in Frankfurt, and came away rather impressed with its impossibly sleek proportions. Now Mercedes has unveiled the production version of the S-Class Coupe, and we're thrilled to say that all the hotness of the concept has made the production cut. First, the name: The S-Class Coupe is the successor to the CL, but it's largely the same idea—a big luxurious coupe with a big motor to match. The S550 Coupe will be the only version available at launch, and is powered by the same 4.7-liter V8 biturbo engine found in the S-Class sedan. All 449 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque is put to the ground through all four wheels using Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. It's safe to say that S63 and S65 AMG variants and a S600 Coupe are likely on the horizon. Mercedes has been experimenting with cars that lean into corners for a while now. You might remember the three-wheeled F300 Life-Jet concept that used the suspension to lean the entire body into a corner like a motorcycle. Now this technology has finally made it to the road, and Mercedes claims it's a first for any production car. While cornering, the S-Class is capable to leaning up to 2.5 degrees into a turn, which reduces the lateral acceleration experienced by occupants. The system is able to anticipate corners using the stereo camera mounted behind the windscreen. Styling is about as sharp as it gets. The S-Class coupe cuts a long sleek profile, and incorporates the dynamic design language that's making its way across the entire Mercedes range. Like the CL before it, the doors are frameless and the lack of a B pillar means that occupants' heads are flanked by nothing but fresh air when all the windows are rolled down. The red on black interior of the car pictured here is a thing of beauty. High quality leather is everywhere you look, and every button and control is ergonomic perfection. You could probably write a series of novels on the S-Class Coupes list of features. Among them are optional headlamps studded with Swarovski crystals, and an air circulation system that fires a variety of scents at occupants. We'll save the rest for when we get a closer look at the S-Class Coupe when it's official unveiled next month in Geneva.

First Drive: Bentley Continental GT V8 S Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:00 AM PST Unseasonably cool weather in the hills around San Diego seemed to chill the bones of thin-skinned southern California locals. Rain seemed certain to quench the drought the area suffered and to keep convertible tops up. No matter. The weather seems a distant, trifling matter to the Continental GT V8 S, Bentley's newest variant of the venerable junior line of physics-defying sporting cars. I tested a pair—a coupe and a remarkably uncompromised convertible—on a truly stunning series of hills and mountain passes over several hundred miles. In true Bentley fashion, it wasn't hard to reel in the horizon or seamlessly exceed posted limits. It also wasn't hard to see that this might be the Bentley Continental to get—top affixed, up, or down—if you care about driving. A little more, but not too much more The Continental GT V8 is the first rung in Bentley's ladder of sporting opulence, and the V8 S is the new half-step in between the lesser V8 and the W12 model. It brings more than a new consonant to the name—there are chassis upgrades and a smidge more power on hand, in addition to the expected signs and symbols of exclusivity as befitting its station. At 521 hp, the V8 S represents a 4 percent power improvement over the base V8, and it would take a finely calibrated seat dyno to tell the difference among the powerful gravitational forces associated with its 502 lb-ft of torque. The chassis changes are similarly subtle—10 mm lower, the V8 S has 45 percent stiffer front and 33 percent stiffer rear adjustable dampers. The usual stylistic differences and badging changes alterations out the major changes. An elephant that runs marathons At 5060 lbs (5445 for the convertible), the GT V8 S is substantial, and so is its road presence. With the suspension set to its hardest sport setting, the ride is a perfect balance of compliance and roll resistance, and there's no reason to change it to a softer setting (although the velvety-smooth comfort setting is remarkably comfortable, too—there's no wrong answer on a straight road). At around six-tenths, the GT V8 S has truly remarkable chassis control, and it's a pleasure to hustle it on some of the lairiest roads the Santa Ana range could throw at the two-and-a-half-ton road locomotive. Press harder, and the immutable natural laws of the universe take the car's weight into account. The steering—slightly too vague already—gets a little spooky. It's a good sign that the car's being asked to do something unreasonable. Understeer at these low limits is sensible, actually. There's no reason to flog a Continental much harder than this on public roads, and the V8 S can handle considerably more than any typical owner might throw at it. Keep things slower, and it links sweepers without drama, all while still being quite stimulating. A word about the optional carbon-ceramic brakes: They're the largest units ever fitted to a production car, and they are either magical or miraculous—as they should be, for a nearly $14,000 checkbox on the build sheet. Warm or cold, they're progressive and provide wonderful feel. And unlike the hardcore units on some other hypercars, there's absolutely no squeaking or grabbiness. When you've overindulged in the twin-turbo's mind-warping torque curve in a decreasing radius turn, there's no better peace of mind then being able to reel things back in with those enormous binders. An exhaust note that would make Victorian ladies blush There's no denying that the W12 Continentals sound kind of unhinged, but the V8 S (our convertible had the optional sport exhaust) sounded delicious, top up, down, or permanently fixed. An active valve keeps volume, burble, and tone deep and rich at most throttle positions, and only high-rpm held-gear roll-ons seemed to break the spell slightly with some odd resonance. But not for long—grab a new gear and punch it, and the disbelief is resuspended. There's no power benefit or weight savings for the option, but the soundtrack is worth it. READ THIS: Nine and a half Bentleys we'd drive for Bentley's 95th birthday Wrestling with physics It seems like the one place Bentley needs to redouble their effort is steering feel. Balancing the Bentley's weight and power in a tight corner is like Lucha Libre wrestling with physics, and not being able to trust the steering's placement of the front wheels when it counts is like having your wrestling mask fall in front of your eyes. Some spooky moments hitting corners at enthusiastic speeds dampened the enjoyment. The right one? There are times when the car in the middle doesn't satisfy. It's not enough of one thing and too much of another. The V8 GT S could easily suffer from this malady, positioned as it is between the entry-level (if you can call it that) V8 and the panzer-grade W12. I posit that the V8 GT S may be the perfect Continental, though. It has the right bits lifted off the GT Speed model, it's a smidge lighter, and it's not substantially less powerful. It also sounds and feels at least as special as its bullet-train W12 sibling. Anything more is simply that—more. And if the driving experience matters, then this is the one to get.

Watch the spectacular conclusion of Bathurst 12 Hour Posted: 10 Feb 2014 04:00 AM PST The conclusion of any endurance race is an emotional, nerve-wracking affair. There's always a certain kind of slow-mounting tension that accompanies around-the-clock trials, but this year's Bathurst 12 Hour brought the competitive vigor and elevated its finale to another level: Sunday's race marked the closest-ever finish in the event's history. Three-time V8 Supercars champ Craig Lowndes brought home the win behind the wheel of Maranello Motorsports' 458 Italia GT3, successfully holding off a spectacular drive from Maximilian Buhk in the HTP Motorsport Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3. The margin of victory? An astonishing 0.413 seconds. Other highlights include the #23 JBS Swift Lamborghini Gallardo hitting a kangaroo on the track after 16 minutes, a spectacular wreck at the 2 hours, 25 minute mark involving the GT3-spec Nissan GT-R Nismo, and a photo finish for the trio of Fiat 500 Abarth Class F racers. In case you missed it, we've got video of the whole race, from green to checkered, is embedded below. Even if you're not able to watch this Mount Panorama spectacle in its entirety, do yourself a favor and tune into the final ten minutes—we promise, this finish will not disappoint. NOTE: There's no audio for the first 5 minutes, 30 seconds, but the live stream signal resets and runs flawlessly for the duration of the video afterward.